Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to electronics and, more particularly, to an electronic apparatus that is particularly suitable for use in customizing an operation key, a control method for the electronic apparatus, and a storage medium storing a program.
Description of the Related Art
Electronic apparatuses have more functions in recent years. For example, many professional-use video cameras have more functions and more detailed settings thereof can be made in comparison with consumer-use video cameras so as to support various intended uses. In the professional-use video cameras, function setting methods are a method in which setting is carried out by using keys on an outer casing, and a method in which setting is carried out through a user interface (UI), such as a menu displayed on a display device.
Included among keys on an outer casing is an assign button (user customization button) through which a user can change a function according to how he or she uses an apparatus. In some cases, a function that the user wants to assign to an assign button disposed at a position at which the assign button is readily manipulated differs according to usage conditions of the apparatus (differs according to scenes to be shot in the case of an image capturing apparatus). Hence, changing a function assignment of the assign button quickly and easily makes the apparatus convenient to use. A method of assigning a function to the assign button is a method in which a setting menu screen for the apparatus is opened, a menu item to be customized is selected, a button that the user wants to customize and a function that he or she wants to assign are selected, and thus setting is carried out. However, this increases the number of operation steps if there are many items and a multilevel hierarchy in a setting menu.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-159180 proposes a method in which, in order that a function assignment of a button on a touch panel can be changed without opening a menu screen, a timer is activated when a button is touched, and a shift to an operation mode in which a function of the button is customized is performed when the touch is released after the expiry of the timer. That is, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-159180, a long press of a touch button enables a shift to the operation mode in which customization is performed. A long press herein is to press and hold a button down for a while.
However, as in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-159180, a method in which a shift to an operation mode in which customization is performed can be performed by a long press of a button has the following problems. That is, if a function assigned to the button is a function to be executed for the duration of operation of the button, the function assigned to the button being operated is executed before a shift to the operation mode in which customization is performed is performed. Under such circumstances, in the case where a user presses the button with the mere intention of performing a shift to the operation mode in which customization is performed, the function of the button that the user does not intend to execute is executed. On the other hand, when a shift to the operation mode in which customization is performed is performed in response to a long press of the button, execution of the function assigned to the button is interrupted despite the fact that the button continues to be operated. Under such circumstances, in the case where the user presses the button with the intention of continuously executing the function assigned to the button, execution of the function is interrupted at a point in time when the user least expects it to be interrupted.